The Column: On Cooking and Dating

Look for my column, The Bitter Lemon, in Baton Rouge’s alt-weekly, Dig magazine. A fresh issue hits the stands every Wednesday. This week’s column covers two of my favorite things: cooking and dating.

I need to figure out how to do this…

The man I thought I was going to marry was a “meat and potatoes” kind of guy. If love were rice dressing, then my turkey was overstuffed for him.

I did everything I could to win his heart (read: cooked and baked dozens of recipes). From meatloaf and shepherd’s pie to birthday cakes and mocha chip cookies, I always had something in the oven for our time together.

But I quickly learned—when he got married—that even a perfect, medium-rare steak doesn’t make a relationship.

From a young age, I have loved food. My dad often cooked dinner in our house, as my mom worked late. While the meals weren’t fancy, my dad’s recipe for crockpot “Mushroom Chicken” holds a special place in my heart.

I have always liked cooking for myself, but when Mr. Meat and Potatoes came into my life, I relished cooking for him even more. But it was always one-sided. I can recall maybe two times, in four years, where he cooked for me. Read More…

The Squeeze

The Bitter Lemon is home to lifestyle writer, editor, and author, Holly A. Phillips. She's an obsessive dreamer, TV-addict, and a relentless blogger, who's recently taken up casual calligraphy. She currently lives in Austin, Texas with her cat, Blanche Devereaux.